Detachable fastening of an inner lining, in particular a roof lining, at a receiving part of a motor vehicle

ABSTRACT

Detachable fastening of an inner lining, in particular a roof lining, at a receiving part of a motor vehicle, whereby an edge protection profile, which interacts with a deposited peripheral area of the inner lining, is slipped on a flange of the receiving part and locking hooks for fastening are provided locally on the inner lining. The deposited peripheral area of the inner lining is inserted into a receiving groove of the edge protection profile and the locking hooks of the inner lining interact with the edge protection profile.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This application claims the priority of German Patent Document 101 11 526.1, filed Mar. 9, 2001, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.

[0002] The invention relates to a detachable fastening of an inner lining at a receiving part of a motor vehicle.

[0003] Such an inner lining, known from German Patent Document DE 44 14 905 C2, exhibits on the rear side expanded locking hooks, which are inserted during assembly into notches which are impressions of the body-sided receiving part of the motor vehicle. Then an edge protection profile is mounted on a deposited flange of the receiving part, whereby a longitudinally extended lip of the edge protection profile overlaps a peripheral area of the inner lining and rests against the same. This arrangement has the drawback that the design of the body-sided notches at the receiving part constitutes a considerable expense and that owing to the notches the stability of the receiving part is also decreased. Furthermore, to disassemble the inner lining, the edge protection profile must also be removed.

[0004] Moreover, owing to the long, deposited lip for the peripheral area of the inner lining the assembled edge protection profile in the passenger compartment exhibits a relatively large width, a feature that is often perceived to be disturbing for stylistic reasons.

[0005] The present invention provides an improved fastening for a generic inner lining, which, on the one hand, decreases the cost of production and, on the other hand, improves the image.

[0006] The advantages, obtained primarily with the invention, lie in the fact that owing to the fastening of the inner lining at the edge protection profile one can dispense with expensive, body-sided measures and that owing to the insertion of the peripheral area of the inner lining into the receiving groove of the edge protection profile, there is no need for any longitudinally extended lip at the edge protection profile, a feature that improves the visual appearance.

[0007] The locking hooks are designed at separate plastic parts, which are fastened locally on the rear side of the inner lining. This fastening operation can be done by cementing or the like. The locking hooks interact with the free end of one leg of a slip-on segment of the edge protection profile so as to reach behind. Preferably the area of the locking hooks exhibits local support ribs, which stabilize the locking hooks.

[0008] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0009] One embodiment of the invention is depicted in the drawings and described in detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective top view of an inner lining of a motor vehicle.

[0011]FIG. 2 is an enlarged drawing of a detail X of FIG. 1.

[0012]FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an inner lining as fastened to a roof of a motor vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] An embodiment for an inner lining 1, as shown in FIGS. 1-3, for a motor vehicle is formed by a roof lining and in particular by a prefabricated, self-supporting roof liner 2. The inner lining 1 comprises at least one plate-shaped support member 3, which is backed with a decorative coating 5 on the side facing a passenger compartment 4.

[0014] The large area inner lining 1 is fastened on both longitudinal sides 6 at adjacent body-sided receiving parts 7, where the receiving parts 7 are formed by lateral roof frames 8 of the motor vehicle.

[0015] To fasten detachably the inner lining 1, an edge protection profile 10, which comprises a slip-on segment 11, whose profile is somewhat U shaped, and a tubular profile 12, which is disposed on the side of the slip-on segment, is mounted on a deposited flange 9 of the receiving part 7.

[0016] According to the invention, a peripheral area 13, which belongs to the inner lining 1 and is deposited in the upward direction, is inserted into a receiving groove 14 of the edge protection profile 10, whereby the receiving groove 14, which is open in the direction of the passenger compartment 4, is provided in the transition area between the slip-on segment 11 and the tubular profile 12.

[0017] Furthermore, to fasten the inner lining 1, there are locally the locking hooks 15 on the inner lining and in particular on the side facing away from the passenger compartment 4. The locking hooks interact with the edge protection profile 10 so as to reach behind.

[0018] The locking hooks 15 are designed, in the illustrated embodiment, on longitudinally extended plastic parts 16, 17, which are connected stationarily by cementing or the like to the rear side of the inner lining 1.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, two longitudinally extended plastic parts 16, 17, which are spaced apart, are disposed on both longitudinal sides 6 of the inner lining 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the locking hooks 15, which project upward, are molded locally to the plastic parts 16, 17. The locking hooks 15 are at a distance from the outer peripheral area 13 of the inner lining 1 and can be protected locally along their longitudinal stretch.

[0020] When the inner lining is assembled, a one-sided bent hook segment 18 of each locking hook 15 reaches behind a free end 19 of the inside leg 20 of the slip-on segment 11 of the edge protection profile 10.

[0021] The locking hooks 15 exhibit locally support ribs 21, which rest against the outside of the leg 20 of the slip-on segment 11. During assembly of the inner lining, the lining is moved upward and the peripheral area 13 is inserted into the receiving groove 14 of the edge protection profile 10, which is already slipped on. As the inner lining 1 is pushed upward, the locking hooks 15 interlock with the edge protection profile 10, thus fastening the inner lining 1. The inner lining 1 can also be fastened by handles 22. In the area of the handles 22 the inner lining is provided with an impression 23. Each plastic part 16, 17 exhibits locally a rectangular molded-on member 24 with openings 25 to insert fastening screws for the handle 22.

[0022] The receiving groove 14, adjacent to the tubular profile 12 and the slip-on segment 11, results in a very narrow edge protection profile 10 exhibiting a design without piping (without sealing lip), a feature that is regarded as advantageous for visual reasons.

[0023] The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A detachable fastening of an inner lining, in particular a roof lining, at a receiving part of a motor vehicle, wherein an edge protection profile is slipped on a flange of the receiving part, comprising: locking hooks for fastening provided locally on the inner lining, and a deposited peripheral area of the inner lining, wherein in an operative configuration with the receiving part the deposited peripheral area is inserted into a receiving groove of the edge protection profile and wherein the locking hooks of the inner lining interact with the edge protection profile so as to reach behind the edge protection profile toward a roof of the vehicle.
 2. Detachable fastening of an inner lining, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking hooks are provided at plastic parts attached locally on a rear side of the inner lining.
 3. Detachable fastening of an inner lining, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the plastic parts are cemented to the inner lining.
 4. Detachable fastening of an inner lining, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking hooks interact with a free end of a leg of a slip-on segment of the edge protection profile so as to reach behind the leg.
 5. Detachable fastening of an inner lining, as claimed in claim 4, wherein support ribs, which rest against an outside of the leg of the slip-on segment of the edge protection profile, are molded locally to the locking hooks.
 6. Detachable fastening of an inner lining, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the inner lining in the area of the plastic parts is also held in position at the receiving part by handles.
 7. A method of attaching an inner lining to a receiving part of a motor vehicle roof, wherein the inner lining includes a peripheral area and a locking hook, comprising the steps of: mounting an edge protection profile on a deposited flange of the receiving part; inserting the peripheral area into a receiving groove defined by the edge protection profile; and engaging the locking hook with a leg of the edge protection profile such that a bent hook segment of the locking hook reaches behind a free end of the leg.
 8. The method of claim 7 wherein the edge protection profile comprises a u-shaped slip-on segment and a tubular profile disposed on a side of the slip-on segment and wherein the receiving groove is defined by a transition area between the slip-on segment and the tubular profile.
 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the leg of the edge protection profile is included on the slip-on segment and extends toward the roof of the motor vehicle.
 10. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of engaging a support rib against an outside of the leg of the edge protection profile, wherein the support rib is attached to the locking hook.
 11. The method of claim 7 wherein the peripheral area and the locking hook extend from the inner lining toward the roof of the motor vehicle when in an operative configuration with the roof.
 12. The method of claim 7 wherein the locking hook extends from a plastic part wherein the plastic part is attached to a rear side of the inner lining.
 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the plastic part includes a rectangular member disposed in an impression in the roof lining, and further comprising the step of securing the rectangular member to a handle associated with the motor vehicle roof by a screw. 